Newman's Own Foundation, founded by the late actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, today announced that it is awarding $2.5 million in grants over two years to 16 public broadcasting radio and television networks across the United States.
The grants affirm the value of preserving trusted sources and multiple perspectives for news and other informational programming.
Most of the stations will use their grants as challenges to stimulate donor giving. Two will direct funding to programming or special projects.
“Independent media is essential to bringing civil dialogue to communities,” said Robert Forrester, President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation. “We are proud to help these stations as they continue their important work in giving a voice to many perspectives.”
The organizations receiving grants are:
• Arizona PBS, Tempe, AZ
• Blue Ridge Public Television, Roanoke, VA
• Channel 5 Public Broadcasting, Reno, NV
• Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network, Hartford, CT
• Florida West Coast Public Broadcasting, Tampa, FL
• Foundation for Public Broadcasting in Georgia, Atlanta, GA
• Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation (CET), Cincinnati, OH
• Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association (WETA), Arlington, VA
• KCETLink, Burbank, CA
• KQED, San Francisco, CA
• Minnesota Public Radio, Saint Paul, MN
• National Public Radio, Washington, DC
• North Texas Public Broadcasting, Dallas, TX
• Illinois Public Media, Urbana, IL
• WNET/Channel 13, New York, NY
• WSHU Public Radio, Fairfield, CT
Jerry Franklin, president and CEO of Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network, summed up the value of challenge grants in generating additional support for independent media. “The Newman’s Own Foundation Challenge grant was the first of its kind to come to our organization. The Foundation has served as a trailblazer in this area, allowing us to leverage challenge grants from several other foundations, corporations, and even small businesses,” said Franklin. “Our audiences have come to recognize Newman’s Own Foundation as the gold standard for challenge grants, making the challenge grant our single most effective tool during pledge drives.”
Paul Newman founded Newman’s Own, the food and beverage company, in 1982, with a commitment to donate 100% of the profits to charity. Today, Newman’s Own Foundation is the sole owner of the company and continues this charitable promise. Together, Paul Newman and the Foundation have donated more than $485 million to thousands of charities around the world.
For more information about the Foundation’s support of independent media and other initiatives, visit newmansownfoundation.org/empowerment.
